His Bleeding Rose

3 MONTHS LATER

"Forget her, she left. It's been three months. You're destroying yourself," Atharva's voice echoed in my mind, but I could barely hear him. His words were just a hum in the background, drowned by the burning whiskey in my throat and the louder, emptier silence left in her wake.

"Get out," I muttered, barely looking at him. He gave me that look, the one that said he wanted to pull me back from this edge. But he couldn't. No one could. With a resigned sigh, he left, closing the door softly behind him, leaving me to this darkness.

Three months. Three months since she'd walked out of my life, out of every promise and whispered vow we'd made. She tore out the part of me that only ever belonged to her, leaving nothing but shadows behind. I sat there, gripping my glass as if it were the last thing anchoring me to this world, and whispered into the emptiness. "Why, Tranika? Why did you leave me like this?"

I don't even remember falling in love with her—it felt inevitable, like breathing. All she ever had to do was say a word, and I would have moved mountains, burned bridges, done whatever she wanted. But she left. For him. Anirudh.

A sharp ring broke through my thoughts. I snatched up the phone, hoping—foolishly—that it was her. That maybe, she'd finally come to her senses. But no.

"Give me something, Batra," my voice was low, laced with a desperation I hated admitting.

"Sir, the last intel we have is that they both flew to Singapore. They checked into a hotel under Anirudh's name. Beyond that... we've lost their trail."

I slammed the phone down, my knuckles white from the impact. "You wanted this, Tranika?" I thought bitterly. "To be hunted by the man who loved you? Fine. I'll show you exactly what that looks like."

My mind drifted to memories of her, the way she'd smile at me, the way her laughter could fill a room. But now, all that was left was betrayal, an ache so deep it felt like it would never heal. I loved her—God, I loved her—but she'd made her choice. And if it was hate she wanted from me now, then I'd show her just how dark that love could turn.

Now I stand here, gun in hand, staring down at this man, the one who tore my life apart with a simple exchange, a dirty deal. He sold me out, handed over everything I'd fought for, every piece of me, to Anirudh. And for what? Greed, pride—whatever it was, it's now coated in betrayal.

But I don't just see him. I see her. Tranika, my rose. I used to think her love was a shield against the world, but she's the one who turned it all against me. She knew everything I was risking, every investment, every sleepless night, and still—she sold me out. They both wanted me ruined, on my knees, and Anirudh was only too happy to oblige.

My chest tightens. This isn't just betrayal; it's the end of something I thought was unbreakable. I thought she was my home.

I tighten my grip on the gun, trying to drown out her voice, but her words play over and over in my mind. "You're a psycho, Adhiraj," she'd said, disgust in her eyes. All because I defended her—because I made sure no one would ever dare speak her name with disrespect again. She couldn't see that. She only saw my violence, never the love behind it.